Budget Straight Talk on School Funding

The budget proposal is better than CEA had feared, allocating $238 million more in the total program than last year to educate Colorado’s kids. The increase of $185 in per-pupil funding is more than the Governor’s original budget proposal; however, the increase does not fully cover inflation, increased student enrollment and increased program costs. As a result, the current budget proposal before legislators adds $50 million to the Negative Factor, raising it to a total of $881 million (more on that term follows).